Wheel making machine



July 23, 1940- J. H. PLoEHN 20,209,002

WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 31, 19059 15 sheets-sheet 1 EIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII@ INVENTOR c///A/ H. ,DL @EY/N.

BY M, WVM@ A TORNEYS.

July 23, 1940.

J. H. PLol-:HN

WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 3l, 1939 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 faz BY Q "a M (l, W

AORNEYS.

July 23, 41940. J. H. PLOEHN WHEEL MAKING MACHINE l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 51, 1939 ATTORNEYS.

July 23, 1940. .1. H. PLOEHN WHEEL MAKING MACHINE 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed MarchA 51, 1959 c/a/lN BY Mm, f

-QTLL 0 T ORNEYS.

July 23, 1940. J, H OHN 2,209,002

WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 51, 1959 15 sheets-sheet s 37 1 -1ay ff I kga I j 5&6 X56 244247 757255 65. n 42 .107

5g z?? f 264 M 90. '1262 :E Eg( 240: Z6 1 25x \`-5 INVENTOR c/'aH/v H. /DA @5H/v,

MY 11W AT ORNEIYS.

July 23, 1940. J, Hl PLQEHN 2,209,002

WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 51, 1959 15 Vsheets-sheet 7 l 691/5 v e I= ZM l -17- i IIL'P fia 275 xNvENToR Jef/,v /94 PL @EH/v ATTO RN EYS.

i gaf 20%. 32 1 July 23, 1940. J. H. PLOEHN WHEEL MAKING MACHINE l5 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 5l, 1939 lNVENTOR ATTORNEYS'.

July 23, 1940- J. H, PLoEHN 2,209,002

WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 31, 1959 15 sheets-sheet s I ATTORNEYS July 23, 1940.

J. H. PLOEH'N WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 51, 1939 15 Sheets-Sheet l0 ATTORNEYS.

July 23, 1940.

,1. H. PLOEHN WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 3l, 1939 l5 Sheets-Sheet 1l INVENTOR c/SH/v /o/ oEf//v A BY m, 4W

A ORNEYS.,

July 23, 1940. .1. H. PLOEHN WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 3l, 1959 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 {NVENTOR T ORNEYS.

July 23, 1940. J. ||i PLQEHN 2,209,002

WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 51, 1939 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 A TORNEYS.

Filed March 3l.` 1939 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 J l r] "f- INVENTOR cfa/wv H /0 oef/N. BY M #L2/f, W

ATTORNEYS.

'E V L l5 Sheets-Sheet l5 J. H. PLOEHN WHEEL MAKING MACHINE Filed March 5l, 1959 July 23, 1940.

Patented July 23, 1940 2,200,002` p WHEEL MAKING MACHINE John H. Ploehn, Bettendorf, Iowa, assignor to French & Hecht, Incorporated, a corporation oi l Iowa Application March 31, 1939, Serial No. 265,204

8 Claims.

This invention relates to wheel making machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent No. 640,548, wherein a wheel n hub and rim to be connected by spokesare supported in the machine inlconcentric relation to one another and heated spokes inserted through aligned openings in the rim and hub and upset endwise simultaneously to head over the end of the spoke inside the hub and form a shoulder on the spoke to bear against the outer surface of l he hub. l

In these machines, `the hub and rim are supportedon a pivotally mounted gooseneck table, the lower arm of which is adapted to sup-port the hub and rim and the upper arm to carry a clamp for securing the hub in position on the table.`

The machine is operated pneumatically, its successive operations during each cycle being controlled by a plurality of valves or a metering valve actuable by a foot treadle. Initially, the table occupies a position with its front end tilted upward for the insertion of a spoke through the openings in the rim and hub, and when the cycle `of operation ofthe machine is inaugurated by a partial depression of the foot treadle, the front end of the table -descends to lower the hub over a spoke heading tool or header and locate the portion of the spoke outside the hub between a pair of` vise jaws, which, upon further depression of the foot treadle, are actuated to clamp and hold the spoke against movement during the upsetting operation. After the spoke is clamped between thevise jaws, the foot treadle is depressed through the remainder of its downward stroke and the header inside the hub is caused to move forwardly toward the `vise jaws to upset and `head over` the heated end of the spoke against the inner surface of the hub. At the same time, the table` supporting the hub moves in the same direction as the header, but only half as far,.causing the portieri `of the spoke between the outside of the hub and the vise jaws to be upsetto form the shoulder, the vise jaws being equipped with dies into which the displaced metal flows and by which it is confined to force it against the outer surface of the hub and mold it to the desired shape. When the upsetting operation is completed, pressure on` the foot treadle is released and by the return stroke of the l treadle the machineis operated to effect the retraction of the table and header, the release of the vise jaws and the tilting of the front end of the table to its original upper position so that the spoke clears the top edges of the vise jaws, after which the hub clamp is released to permit the turning of the hub and rim to the proper position for operation on another spoke. The operationof the machine in xthe sequence just set forth is repeated for each successive spoke.

As already stated, the successive operations of the machine are controlled by valves actuated by the movement of a foot treadle connected therewith. After the hub is clamped in position on the table; the foot treadle is pressed downwardly in stages rst to open a valve for the exhaust of air from a table` lifting cylinder, allowing a piston therein `to descend and lower the frontI end of the table to locate the spoke between the vise jaws and in line with the header. Continued downward movement of the foot treadle vopens another valve to admit air into a cylinder and raise a piston therein to move the vise jaws into clamping engagement with the spoke; and, as the foot treadle approaches the end of its stroke, a third valve is opened to admit air to a third cylinder and raise the piston therein to move the header and table to effect the upsetting of the spoke. The return movement of the foot treadle actuates the valves in the reverse order to exhaust air from the header actuating cylinder and allow` the table and header to be retracted, then exhaust the air from the vise jaw actuating cylinder to release the spoke, and finally to admit air to the vtable lifting cylinder to raise the piston't'herein and lift the front end of the table'to its tilted upper position. The actuation of the foot treadle to effect the successive machine op` erations is entirely under the control of the D- erator and requires skillful manipulation; and, moreover, because the header and table are retracted before the vise jaws release the spoke,`

unless the hub clamp is rst released,`the end of the spoke, which is still hot, will be strained and stretched so that the headed and shouldered connection with the hub is imperfect. Even the release` of the hub clamp to permit relative movement between the table and hub will not cure the defect if the hub center is too small to permit the full return of the header without the hub wall beingv engaged thereby and the hub moved relatively to the vise jaws.

It is the object of the present invention to obviate these and other objectionable defects in a machine of the class described and to lessen the skill required in the manipulation of the machine.

To thisv end, and in itsbroader aspects, the present invention contemplates a machine equipped with `means to inaugurate the operation of the machine` and means responsive to the operation of thelmachine to control successive operations thereof in the desired sequence. More specifically, the machine is equipped with a main valve actuableby the foot treadle and an auxiliary valve actuated by the movement of the vise jaws. A partial downward stroke of the foot treaclle, the extent of which is determined bya stop, actuates the main valve to exhaust air from the table-lifting cylinder and allow the table to descend to locate the spoke in operative relation to the vise jaws and the header. As the table comes to rest' in its lower position, the stop is moved to inoperative position to permit the completion of'tl'ie downward stroke ofthe foot treadle, effecting a further actuation of the main valve for the admission of air into the jaw-actuating cylinder to close the vise jaws on the spoke and also for the admission of air to the auxiliary valve. The closing movement of the vise jaws actuates the auxiliary valve to admit air into the cylinder for effecting the movement of the header and table toward the vise jaws to upset the spoke to form the head and shoulder thereon. yAfter the spoke-upsetting operation is completed, release of the foot treadle actuates the main valve to exhaust air from the vise jaw-actuating cylinder to release the jaws from the spoke, and their movement, in turn, aotuates the auxiliary valve to exhaust air from the header and tableactuating cylinder to permit the retraction of the headerand table. As the return stroke of the foot treadle is completed, the main valve is operated to admit air to the table-lifting cylinder t'oraise the piston therein and tilt the front end of the table to its upper position and, at the same time, rnovev the stop backrinto its operative position to limit the initial downward stroke raf of the foot treadle.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the machine, showing by the dot and dash lines the tilted position of.Y the Wheel supporting table;

, Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a spacing member for determining the distance between the up'per and lower arms of the table;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another spacing member;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the lower forward portion of the machine, looking from the right-hand side of Fig. 4;

V Fig. 7 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken on the line I-l of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is` a side elevation, partly in section and lpartly broken away, of the auxiliary valve mechanism indicated by the arrow in Fig. 16;

, Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig'. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line `IIJ-I0 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows;

' Fig. 1l is a sectional view taken on the line Ii--ll of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows; v

Fig. 12 is a sectional View taken on the line |2-l2 of Fig. 13, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 13 is a sectional View taken on the line |3-l3 of Fig. l2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

. Fig. 14 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken on the line ifi-I4 of Fig. 7

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic lay-out of the air piping system;

5 Fig. 16 is a View taken approximately on the line I'-IG of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

,p Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the auxiliary valve and associated parts;

4 Fig. 18 is aV sectional view taken on the line lil-i8 of Fig. 16, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 19 is a cross-section taken approximately on the line IS-IS of Fig. 20, some of the parts being broken away to show the construction;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, as indicated by the line 20-20 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a sectional View taken on the line 2l-2I of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 22 is a sectional View of the table holddown device;

Fig. 23 is a sectional View taken on the line 23-23 of Fig. 20. looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 24 is a disjoined elevation of the tablelifting cylinder adjusting mechanism, other parts being broken away;

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken approximately on the line 25-25 of Fig. 24. looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 26 is a side elevation of the upper part of the machine, partly broken away and partly in section as indicated by the line 26-26 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 27 is a side elevation of the hub clamping ram, partly broken away and partly in section as indicated by the line 21-2'1 of Fig. 29, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 28 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken on the line 28-28 of Fig. 27, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 29 is a sectional view taken on the line 29-29 of Fig. 27, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 30 is a view, partly broken away and partly in section, as indicated by the line 30-30 of Fig. 26, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 31 is a plan View, partly broken away and partly in section, as indicated by the line 3I-3I of Fig. 32, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 32 is a sectional View taken on the line 32-32 of Fig. 3l, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 33 is a sectional view taken on the line 33-33 of Fig. 32, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In general The machine -comprises a base l (see Figs. 1, 4 and 5) on which front, rear and intermediate pedestals 2, 3 and 4, respectively, are mounted and which support twohorizontal parallel guide bars 5 and 6 circular in cross-section, these parts constituting the main frame of the machine. Mounted in the frame are the three fundamental units of the machine, namely, the work supporting table 'l with its associated hub-clamping ram 8 and lifting cylinder 9, the spoke-clamping vise jaws I and Il and their actuatingcylinder IZ, and the header I3 and its actuating cylinder I4.

The table 1 (see Fig. 26) is formed with upper and lower arms l and I6, respectively, the lower arm I6 being pivotally mounted on studs l1 at its front end by which it is connected to a slide I8 mounted for reciprocation on a supporting plate I9 pivoted at its rear end as at 20 to a collar 2l. The collar 2l is mounted for Vertical adjustment on a cylindrical machined column 22 of the rear pedestal 3, the adjustment of the collar 2| to determine the set position of the rear end of the table being effected by means of a hand wheel 23 fixed to a screw 24 supported in a bearing 25 of a bracket 26 and passing through an internally threaded lug 21 formed on the collar 2l` The upper arm I5 of the table carries the hub clamping ram 8, which is mounted to slide in a bronze bushing 28 in a xed supporting bracket 29 secured to the forward end of the arm, and an air cylinder 38 mounted on the top edge of the arm. The clamping ram 8 is connected to the air cylinder 38 by aldouble lever 3| pivoted to the upper table arm I5 on a pin 32 intermediate the rain and the air cylinder and extending rearwardly beyond the air cylinder connection 33, its free ends being adapted to support weights 34 to counterbalancethe ram. The ram is actuated by a piston 48 located in the air cylinder 38 and under the control of a simple twoway valve 35 operable by the movement of a pull rod 36 extending towardthe front of the machine.

, The table-lifting air cylinder 9 is mounted on the base I of the machine beneath the forward end of the table and is connected with the table slide I8 by a pair oi vertical side links 31. The links 31 are fastened at their lower ends to a cross-head 38 o n a rod 3910i a piston 4I) in the cylinder` 9 and extend upwardly through bearings 31a formed in the vframe and in which they slidingly engage for vertical movement only.

The upper ends 44 of the links 31 are T-shaped` and `formed with elongated slots 43 in which rollers 4I mounted on studs 42 fixed to the slide I8 are adapted to ride. The air cylinder 9 is mounted for adjustment as a whole by rotation of a hand wheel 45 acting through a'seriesof shafts and bevel gears to rotate a low-pitch screw jack 46 (Fig. 19) on which the cylinder head 41 is supported, such adjustment providing for the easy, `rapid and accurate vertical adjustment of the front end of the table 1 in its operative position.

Toward the front end of the machine the air cylinder I2 `is mounted on the base I between depending arms 49 and 50 of the vise jaws II] and I I, respectively, which arms are rotatably mounted on the parallel horizontal guide bars 5 and 6. The lower end of each of the arms 49 and 58 is adjustably connected by two links 53 and 54 to a rod 5I of a piston 52 (Fig. 16) within the cylinder I2. The arrangement is such that when the piston 52 rises in the cylinder I2, the connecting links '53 move toward a horizontal position and act through the links 54 to force the arms 4S and 5B outwardlyin opposite directions to close the vise jaws I8 and II on a spoke and, upon descent of the piston 52, the links 53 move to their original inclined positions and pull the arms 45 and 58 toward one another to open the vise jaws and release the spoke.

The header mechanism comprises a centrally located shaft or header bar 55 (Figs. 4, 19, 31

and 32) having its front end mounted for reciprocation in a bearing 56 in the front pedestal 2 and its opposite end adjustably and removably mounted in a slide-block 51 mounted on the parallel guide bars 5 and 6 of the frame. Intermediate its ends, the header bar 55 is slidably supported in a bearing 58 in a split cross-head 59 of the intermediate pedestal 4, being held against rotation about its own axis by keys 68 formed thereon and riding in keyways 6I formed in the bearing 58. The air cylinder I4, located immediately in front of the rear pedestal 3, is equipped with a piston 63 having its piston rod 84 connected to a slide-block 55 mounted for vertical reciprocation in a guideway 56 formed `in the front face of the rearpedestal, and a connecting link 61 is pivotally secured at one end to the slide-block 65 and at its opposite end to the slideblock 51 which supports `the rear end of the header bar 55. When the piston 63 rises in the cylinder I4, forcing the slide-block 65 upwardly, the link 61 is moved toward a horizontal position, thus forcing the slide-block 51 forwardly on the parallel guides 5 and 6 and moving the header bar 55 with it. i. As already stated, during the spoke-upsetting operation, the table 'I is moved forwardly half as far as the header bar 55. This is accomplished by pivotally securing the ends of a pair of pendant lever arms 68 and 69 (Figs. 1, 4 and 5) to opposite sides of the adjustable collar 2| on the rear pedestal 3 and connecting their opposite or lower ends by a pair of side links 19 and 1I, respectively, to the opposite ends of the slideblock 51 (Fig. 31) which supports the rear end of the header bar 55, and also pivotally securing the ends of a pair of adjustable links 12 and 13 (Fig. 30) substantially midway between the ends of the pendant lever arms 68 and 69 and connecting their opposite ends to bosses 14 and 15 at the sides of the table slide I8. Thus, when the slideblock'51 supporting the rear end of the header bar 55 moves forwardly, it pulls `the lever arms 68 and B9 through the connecting links 18 and 1I attached thereto, and this movement of the lever arms acts through the links 12 and 13 connecting them with the table slide I8 to move the table in the same direction as the header bar. However, since the links 12 and 13 are connected midway between the ends of the lever arms 68 and 65, the movement imparted to the table is only half that of the header bar.

When air is exhausted from the cylinder I4 and the piston 63 descends, the header bar 55 and table 1, along with their various connecting links, are returned to their nomal positions by springs 16 secured at one end to the slide-block 51 and having their opposite ends anchored to a xed part of the machine.'

Work supporting table 'I'he work supporting table 1 is best shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 19, 2O and 26, and comprises the upper and lower arms I5 and I6 spaced apart vertically at the front and joined together at the rear by bolts 18 passing through flanges 19` and 88 on the upper and lower arms I5 and I6, respectively, and through` spacing members 8| and 82 between the rear ends of the table arms, the member 8| being adapted to be replaceable by one of different thickness to vary the Vertical distance between the upper and lower arms when desired. As already stated, the table 1 is mounted on the slide I8 arranged for reciprocaton on a plate I9 by which the table unit is pivoted to the collar on the rear pedestal 3, the slide I8 having a dovetail connection 83 with the plate I8, as best seen in Fig. 19. The lower arm I6 of the table is pivotally mounted on the studs `I1 at the forward end of the slide I8 and carries a plate 84 which is formed with an opening 85 (Fig. 30) in itsfront end to accommodate a hub support 86. The plate 84 is adapted to be adjustable fore and aft relatively to the lower table arm I6. For this purpose, a threaded stud 81 is fixed at one end in a lug 88 on top of the plate 84 and passes freely through an opening in a lug 89 rising from the arm I6, a pair of adjusting nuts 90 being threaded on the stud 8l' on opposite sides of the lug 89. Turning of the nuts 90 in one direction or the other moves the plate forwardly or rearwardly, as the case may be, and

it is held in set position by locking bolts 9| extending through elongated slots 92 in the plate 84. A threaded stud 93 is pivotally connected as at 94 to the rear end of the slide I8 and adapted to extend upwardly through a slot 95 formed in a forward extension 96 of the spacing member 32, .adjusting and lock-nuts 91 being provided on the stud on opposite sides of the extension 96 for raising andy lowering the rear end of the table relatively to the slide i8 to locate the table according to the angle of the spoke openings in the hub, the front end of the table rocking about the studs I 'I'by which it is connected to the slide. With this arrangement, when the table 1 occupies its operative position, the slide I8 and the spoke will lie in parallel horizontal planes, so that pressure exerted through the' slide during the forward movement of the slide and table to upset the spoke to form the shoulder will always be in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spoke, regardless of the angle of the table relatively to the slide.

H ub clamping ram The hub clamping ram 8 is best shown in Figs. l, 4, 5, 26 and 27 to 29, and comprises a heavy shaft 9B mounted for vertical reciprocation in the bronze bushing 28 in a bearing 99 at the forward end of the bracket 29 secured to the upper arm I5 of the table 1. Theshaft 98 is adapted to be reciprocated by the movement of a piston 48 in the air cylinder 30 and is connected to the piston by the double arm lever 3|, whose' arms and IDI (Fig. 29), connected by a cross-head |02, extend rearwardly on opposite sides of the table arm I5, being pivotally supported on the pin 32 mounted in a bearing |03 formed in the arm I5. Rearwardly of the pin 32, the arms |00 andv IOI are pivotally connected at 33 to the lower ends of a pair of connecting links |04 and |06, which are vertically disposed at opposite sides of the cylinder 30, the upper ends of the links E04 and |95 being pivoted on lugs IUS projecting from opposite ends of a cross-head |01 through which is threaded the end of rod |08 of the piston 48 in the cylinder 30. The crosshead |01 is adapted to slide vertically on guide rods |09 and III'I rising from bosses III and |I2, respectively, on opposite sides of the upper edge of the cylinder 30, being raised by the piston 48 against the action of compression springs I I3 arranged on the guide rods and which are held under the desired tension by adjusting nuts I I4 on the ends of the guide rods, the springs II3 exercising themselves to return the parts to their inoperative positions when air is exhausted from the cylinder 30 and being assisted by the counterbalancing effect of the weights 34 on the rear ends of the lever arms |00 and |0I.

The lower part of the shaft 98 is enlarged and formed in its lower end with a drill hole I I5 (Fig. 28) to accommodate a stud II fixed therein by a pin |I1 and which is formed with a ball II8 adapted to project beyond the end of the shaft 98. A head II9 for the ram is adapted to be secured to the ball I I8 and provide for a universal movement of the head to allow it to accommodate itself to the edge of the hub regardless of the angle at which the latter is supported on the table or of any irregularities of its surface. In order to secure the head |I9 to the ball IIS, it is fastened by bolts to a cap I2I adapted to be positioned over the ball before the latter is fixed to the end of the shaft 98, both the cap |2I and head I I9 being formed with recesses |22 and |23, respectively, conforming to the shape of the ball and loosely engaging therewith when the parts are bolted together. In order to limit the rocking and rotational movement of the head I I9, the ball I I8 is formed with lugs |24 extending in opposite directions therefrom and adapted to fit in vertical grooves formed in the cap.

The cross-head |02 is formed with forwardly extending lugs |26 adapted to straddle the enlarged lower end of the shaft 98, each lug |25 being formed with an opening |28 adapted to accommodate a shouldered stud |29 bolted therein and held against rotation by a set screw |30. Each stud 29 provides a bearing surface I3I on which a roller |32 is mounted and retained between the head |33 of the stud and a washer |34 adjacent the inner surface of the arm |21. The

rollers |32 engage in runways |35 formed in op' poslte sides of the shaft 98 and which extend fore and aft throughout the width thereof, the arrangement providing a connection by which wear of the relatively movable parts is minimized The operation of the ram is manually controlled by the pull rod 36 connected to a crank arm |35` for actuating the valve and extending toward the front of the machine. Movement of the pull rod 38 toward the front of the machine opens the valve 35 to admit air to the cylinder and raise the piston therein. When the piston rises in the cylinder 30 carrying with it the cross-head |01, the links |04 and |05 pull the lever arms upwardly, moving the shaft 98 downwardly and forcing the head I I9 against the upper surface of a hub supported on theY table 1. Return movement of the rod 36 closes off the supply of air to the cylinder 30 and opens a port for the exhaust of the air from the cylinder into the atmosphere, allowing the piston to descend in the cylinder 30 under the influence of the springs lII3, the rear ends of the lever arms being moved reason it is desirable, a filler piece |31 may beV bolted to the head ||9 of the ram.

Table lifting mechanism The mechanism for lifting the front end of the table 1 is adapted for quick manipulation as a whole to adjust the vertical height of the front end of the table for hubs of different sizes and the rapidity of adjustment renders it possible to change the position of the front end of the table very quickly for each individual spoke in cases where the holes in the hub walls are not uniformly located. The table lifting mechanism is best shown in Figs. 1, 7, 19, 20, 24 and 25, and comprises the air cylinder 9 with the piston 40 therein having its rod 39 connected to the table 1 by vertical side links 31. 'Ihe cylinder 9 is mounted on the base I and arranged to move vertically, being provided with a bracket 9a fixed to its uppper edge and formed for intertting engagement with a guide bracket |40 rigidly secured to the intermediate pedestal 4 by bolts I4I. The piston 40 rests on the cylinder head 41 when in its lower position and the piston rod 39 is screw threaded into a cross-head |42 extending toward opposite sides of the machine and arranged to slide vertically on a pair of guide rods |43 secured at their lower ends in bosses |44 on opposite sides of the cylinder 9 and at their upper ends in a horizontal extension |45 of the guide formed on opposite ends of the cross-head 59 of` the intermediate pedestal 4 andrin which bearings they engage for sli-ding vertical movement only.

The upper endsof the links 31, in theform of the T-shaped heads 44, are formed each with the elongated slot 43 adapted to accommodate the roller 4l mounted on astud 42 secured to the table slide I8. With this arrangement, when air is admitted into the cylinder 9, the piston rises therein, carrying with it the cross-head 52 threaded on the piston rod 39 and through the connecting links 31 raises the front end of the table 1, which rocks about the pivot 2U by which the slide I8 is connected to the collar 2| on the rear pedestal 3. When the table 1 is in its lower operative position and the slide I8 isl reciprocated to move the table forward during the spoke upsetting operation, the side links 31 are held in their vertical positions by the side walls of the bearings 312L and the rollers 4| move back and forth in the slotted openings 43 in the heads 44 of the links, thus permitting freedom of movement of the table slide I8 in a truly horizontal path and minimizing wear of the relatively moving parts.

The table lifting mechanism as a whole is adapted for adjustment vertically by means of the hand wheel 45 conveniently located near the front end `of the machine. To this end, instead of being mounted directly on the base l, the head 41 of the cylinder 9 is mounted on the screw jack 55 comprising a: square threaded screw sleeve |48 secured to the cylinder head by a stud |49 screwed into a threaded opening |51) in the cylinder head and secured by a pin 151, the stud |019 being formed with a bearing surface |52 for the sleeve |48 and held thereon by a nut |53 threaded on the lower end of the stud. A bevel ring gear |55, havingan internally square threaded hub |56 is threaded onto the sleeve |58 and rests on =a bearing |51v between it and asupport |58 mounted on the base of the machine, `being held against vertical movement relatively to the support |58 by a cover plate |59 screwed on the lower end of the ring gear hub |56 and engaging a shoulder |65 on the support. Thus, the ring gear |55 acts as a nut on the threaded sleeve |118 and, being capable of rotary movement only, its rotation in one direction or the other will cause the cylinder 9 and associated parts to be raised or lowered as the case may be. The rlngigear |55 is adapted to be rotated by the hand wheel` 45 through a series of bevel gears and the shafts on which they are mounted. Thus, a bevel gear ISI adapted to mesh with the ring gear 155 is mounted on one end of a shaft |52 journaled'in a bearing |63 on the base and havingfixed to its opposite end a bevel gear |54 meshing with another bevel gear |65 xed to the lower end of a shaft |56 extending upwardly at an angle along the side of the machine, the shaft being secured to the frame by straps |61. The upper end of the shaft 66 has a bevel gear |58 Xed to it and arranged to mesh with a bevel gear |59 xed to one end of a shaft |19 journalled in a bracket 11| secured to the main frame and on the oposite end of which shaft |19 the hand wheel 45 is mounted. With this ar-` rangement, the hand wheel 45 may be operated readily from a position in front of the machine to rotate the ring gear |55 to effect the raising Ithe front of the machine.

and 'lowering of the front end of the table 1 to locate it in the desired position forv the particular hub in use, and the very low pitch threads on the gear hub |56 and sleeve 56 permit of a ne adjustment of the table and also serve to hold the table in adjusted position. The weight ofthe table 1 is counterbalanced by a weight 52 at the rear of the machine supported on a rod 11 pivoted to the end of an arm |33 whose opposite end is secured to the spacing member v between the arms |5 and |15 of the table, so that in operation the table' lifting and adjusting `means are relieved of the burden of overcoming the full weight of the table. l

Spoke clamping oise jaws 1, 4, 16 to 18, 20 and 26, andas already stated l the vise jaws are pivotally mounted on the parallel guide bars 5 and 5 and are adapted to be actuated by the rise and fall of the piston 52 in the air` cylinder |2 mounted on the base near Each of the vise jaws lil and l is formed in its inner face (see Fig. 26) with a recess 11| to accommodate a removable die section |12 for shaping the spoke shoulders, the sections vbeing removable for interchangeability as required. Near its lower end, each of the arms 49 and 55 is formed with a threaded opening to accommodate an adjusting bolt |13 which engages the edge of thependant link 54 pivoted at its upper end between the arms of a vbifurcated lug 15 formed on the vinner edge of the respective arm, the end of the link having a lug |15 formed thereon and adapted to be engaged by a second adjusting bolt |15 threaded through an openingin the arm. The opposite end of the link 54 (see Figs. 16 and 18) is pivotally connected by a pin |11 to the links 53, whose opposite ends are pivoted on a pin |13 extending through a splitcollarl19 loosely surrounding a recessed portion I8!) of the piston rod 5| and held against rotation by two pins |8| extending through slotsv |82 in the piston rod. The recess 95` in which the collar |19 is ttedl is slightly longer than` the height of the collar and the slots |82 are vertically elongated to `permit a slight amount of lost motion the endwalls of the recess |89 providing surfaces against which the upper and lower edges of the collar |19 abut in the operation of the machine. In adjusting the jaws |13 and to space them the proper distance from one another, if the `bolts |13 are loosened and the bolts |15 tightened, the jaws will be moved in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 16) to space them farther apart, whereas if the bolts |15 are loosened and the bolts |13 tightened, the jaws will be brought closer together.

With the foregoing arrangement, when air is admitted into the' cylinder I2, the piston 52 moves to its upper position and the links 53 are in the nearlyhorizontal position shown inxFig.`16, forcing the arms 49 and 59 outwardly to hold the vise jaws closed. VUpon the exhaust of air from the cylinder l2, the piston 52 descends, as indicated by the arrow and carries the ends of the links 53 connected to the collar |19 downwardly to the inclined position shown in Fig. 1'7, the descent of the piston 52 and associated parts being effected byr the pull of springs 183` connected at one end to the pins |18 and having their opposite ends secured` to the base of thev cylinder i2. This downward movement of the 

